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The Grasses constitute one of the largest families of Flowering Plants, with estimates of numbers suggesting more than 12,000 species. They can scarcely be challenged as the 'most important plant family' to humanity, providing all our cereals as well as forming a substantial component of pastures for grazing livestock.
Accurate identification is an essential prerequisite to any discipline involved with plants. However, the somewhat cryptic nature of Grass flowers, and some superficially similar species (sometimes belonging in other families), has usually seen indentification left to the expert. With clear text, and detailed illustrations and photographs Name Those Grasses describes the structure of Grasses and some similar groups, explains the language used in their description, and describes the process of identification. The drawings and photographs emphasise structural details and cover over 200 species (131 species of Grasses, 38 Sedges, 16 Rushes, 16 Restios, Rope-rushes and allies, and 2 species of Typha (Bulrushes)), which will assist with recognition of many common plants of roadsides and pastures.
Although most of the illustrated examples are widely distributed in the temperate parts of the world, this book is foremost about the identification process in general, rather than being a field guide to identifying grasses in any one particular region. It will therefore greatly facilitate the successful use of standard identification manuals available for most parts of the world and is relevant globally.
Name Those Grasses will be of value to anyone with an interest or profession that touches on these fascinating and important plants, including those involved in agriculture and crop production, as well as natural resource managers. The clear, labelled illustrations will be particularly useful to teachers of biological science and taxonomic botany. And of course all naturalists and lovers of wild places are invited to share the beauty of this corner of the natural world.
Acknowledgements vii
Introduction viii
1. Making a Start 1
The aim of this book 1
Some essential information 2
Using this book 4
Notes on the illustrations 5
Botanical illustration 9
Plant names and synonymy 9
2. Introduction to Plant Structure 10
Introduction to flora Structure 10
A basic "conventional" flower 10
The perianth 10
The reproductive parts 10
Variation in floral structure 12
Further notes on the gynoecium 16
Introduction to the floral structure of Grasses, Sedges and Rushes 17
Inflorescences – the flower-bearing shoots 18
General introduction to inflorescences 18
Introduction to the inflorescences of grass-like plants 22
Current practice in applying inflorescence terminology 24
Introduction to vegetative structure 25
Roots 26
Stems 26
Leaves 31
Finer details of surfaces, and internal features 34
Plant habit and life span 35
3. Nomenclature and Classification 37
Nomenclature 37
Classification 39
The interplay between names and classification 40
4. Family Poaceae (Grasses) 42
Grasses in everyday life 43
Useful Grasses 43
Grasses as weeds 44
The Structure of Grasses 44
Grass flowers and associated parts 45
Florets 45
Spikelets 46
Variation in florets and spikelets 48
Floret variation 48
Spikelet variation 50
Floral structure summary: Grasses 53
Ornamentation and appendages 54
Fruit and dispersal 55
The caryopsis 55
Dispersal 56
Inflorescences 59
Vegetative Structure 67
The Grass plant 67
Culms 68
Leaves 68
Internal structure of leaves 70
Habit and growth 72
Classification 74
Introduction to some of the main groups of Grasses 78
Subfamily Pooideae 78
Tribe Stipeae 79
Tribe Meliceae 80
Tribe Brachypodieae 80
Tribe Bromeae 81
Tribe Triticeae 81
Tribe Aveneae 83
Tribe Poeae 84
Tribe Hainardieae 84
Subfamily Bambusoideae 85
Tribe Bambuseae 85
Subfamily Ehrhartoideae 90
Tribe Oryzeae 90
Tribe Ehrharteae 90
Subfamily Arundinoideae 91
Tribe Arundineae 91
Subfamily Danthonioideae 92
Tribe Danthonieae 92
Subfamily Aristidoideae 94
Tribe Aristideae 94
Subfamily Chloridoideae 94
Tribe Triodieae 94
Tribe Eragrostideae 95
Tribe Cynodonteae 96
Subfamily Panicoideae 97
Tribe Paspaleae 97
Tribe Paniceae 97
Tribe Andropogoneae 99
Figures 14-102 102-279
Plates 1-17
5. Family Cyperaceae (Sedges) 281
The structure of Sedges 282
Sedge flowers and associated parts 282
Flowers 282
Spikelets 282
Variation in flowers and associated parts 283
Flowers 283
Spikelets 284
Compound spikelets 285
Pseudospikelets 285
Alternative floral units 286
Floral structure summary: Sedges 286
Fruit and dispersal 286
Inflorescences 288
Vegetative structure 289
The Sedge plant 289
Underground parts 290
Culms 291
Leaves 291
Internal structure of leaves 292
Classification 292
Subfamily Mapanioideae 293
Tribe Fiypolytreae 293
Tribe Chrysitricheae 293
Subfamily Cyperoideae 294
Tribe Scirpeae 294
Tribe Fuireneae 294
Tribe Eleocharideae 294
Tribe Abildgaardieae 295
Tribe Cypereae 295
Tribe Dulichieae 296
Tribe Schoeneae 296
Subfamily Sclerioideae 297
Tribe Cryptangieae 297
Tribe Trilepideae 297
Tribe Sclerieae 297
Tribe Bisboeckelereae 298
Subfamily Caricoideae 298
Tribe Cariceae 298
The genus Carex 300
Hybrids 303
Classification within the genus Carex 304
Figures 103-131 306-363
6. Family Juncaceae (Rushes) 364
Introduction to the genera of Juncaceae 365
Genus Juncus 366
Floral structure 366
Inflorescences 367
Vegetative structure 368
Classification 371
Introduction to the subgenera and sections of Juncus 371
Genus Luzula 374
Floral structure 374
Inflorescences 374
Vegetative structure 375
Classification 375
Introduction to the subgenera and sections of Luzula 376
Figures 132-144 378-403
Recognising Grasses, Sedges, Rushes and Restios 404
Plates 18-34
7. Families Restionaceae and Centrolepidaceae 410
Family Restionaceae (Restios, Rope-rushes and Cordrushes) 410
Floral Structure 410
Inflorescences 412
Vegetative structure 414
Classification 415
Introduction to the main groups within Restionaceae 416
Subfamily Sporadanthoideae 416
Subfamily Leptocarpoideae 416
Subfamily Restionoideae 417
Family Centrolepidaceae 417
Floral structure 417
Inflorescences 418
Vegetative structure 418
Classification 418
Introduction to the genera of Centrolepidaceae 418
Figures 145-149 420-429
8. Family Typhaceae (Bulrushes, Cat-tails, Cumbungis, Reedmaces) 430
Floral structure 430
The inflorescence 431
Vegetative structure 432
Alternative interpretations and terminology 432
Classification 433
9. The Process of Identification 438
Equipment 439
Identifying Grasses 439
Identifying Sedges, Rushes and Restios 441
Identifying Bulrushes 444
Botanical keys 444
Traditional dichotomous keys 445
Interactive computer keys 446
Working with keys 447
Keys to the families and most of the genera in Figures 14-151 and Plates 1-32 449
References 464
Symbols, Abbreviations and Contractions 474
Glossary 475
Index 521
Ian Clarke has spent more than 40 years working in the botanical field. Initially at The University of Melbourne School of Botany, he collected samples for practical classes in plant taxonomy, as well as maintaining the School's substantial herbarium. He later joined the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, working for many years in the National Herbarium's plant identification and information service. He has long held an interest in botanical illustration, and has served on the selection panel for numerous Botanical Art exhibitions organised by the Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Inc. An earlier book, Name that Flower: The Identification of Flowering Plants, written with coauthor Helen Lee, has continued in print since first published in 1987 by Melbourne University Press.
"[...] The book is beautifully illustrated with detailed line drawings and photos which all help the reader to build up a vivid picture of what these plants look like. There is much useful information associated with the illustrations, which highlight important features at the family level and below, considerably aiding identification. [...] Minor issues apart, this book is an excellent primer to plant families which are well known as being some of the most difficult to identify. It should definitely have a place on the botanical bookshelf."
– David A. Simpson, Kew Bulletin 73(19), 2018
"[...] Generously illustrated and carefully organized, this guide may be a welcome addition to the library of any botanist, professional or amateur. Despite inevitable limitations inherent in any book that tries to usefully summarize global diversity of grasses, sedges, and similar plants, the author has designed a primer that can serve as a practical introduction to these plants that are notoriously difficult to identify. I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to become adept at identification of grasses and grass-like plants."
– Amy Boyd, Department of Biology, Warren Wilson College, Asheville, North Carolina, USA, Plant Science Bulletin Vol. 63 (1): 51-2 (Spring 2017)
"[...] Despite its broad scope, his treatment is nevertheless of great value to British and Irish botanists [...] [The author] gives a good explanation of the specialised terminology used to describe the parts of the grass flower, and goes into the process of identification in such a way that it dispels any notion that grasses are particularly difficult to identify. The illustrations are of a uniformly high standard [...] They include exploded drawings of the floral parts that are much more accessible than the style of drawing one encountered in such handbooks as Hubbard. [...] Although grasses are hard to photograph well in close-up, the section of colour plates following p. 408 is delightful and provides images against a black background, emphasising the nervature and translucency of the parts. [...] As a teaching aid it should prove useful on field courses, due to its well thought out format with 'recognition notes' for the main tribes [...]"
– John Edmondson, New Journal of Botany, Vol. 6(2-3), pp. 117-8 (2016)
"From the moment I took this book from its package, I loved it! [...] I am sure that any interested non-professional can successfully use this book. The author emphasizes that “this book is intended as a guide to pursuing practical plant identification” and he has certainly made this possible through clarity of the treatments and his truly outstanding illustrations and photographs.[...]"
– Janice C. Swab, Australian Systematic Botany Society Newsletter 167, June 2016
"[...] After carrying this book around with me for two weeks during my four-hour commute to work, I can report that the book is the perfect size to hold and read. The size and the binding allow the reader to refer back easily to plates and figures described in the text. The paper and the print quality is excellent, with the overall product looking well laid out. It makes you want to flick through the book to enjoy the illustrations because the highlight of this book is the wealth of exquisite illustrations and plates with the clear and concise descriptions which accompanies them. This is a book I have enjoyed reading and it has inspired me to have a go at identifying this challenging group of plants. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to take up this challenge."
– Bruce McGinness, Growing Australian, June 2016
"Grasses are notoriously difficult to identify, ask any botanist. Having evolved along the same basic physical plan and superficially resembling one another, grasses must be identified by studying tiny structures that cannot be observed without magnification. By default, this has traditionally been left to experts, who still have difiiculty separating species. Because of the exactitude involved, written descriptions in botanical atlases and floras are written by and for experts. Most laypeople turn away in bewilderment, wishing that some interpretive guide existed that could help to decipher the code.
And now one does! Ian Clarke's book, Name Those Grasses; Identifying Grasses, Sedges and Rushes, helps those without specialized knowledge use identification manuals and botanical keys, and clarifies the identification of grasses and grass~like plants. Stuffed with practical information, the book is designed, written, and profusely illustrated with ink/scraperboard drawings and color photographs by Clarke. He knows his topic well, having worked in the botanical field for more than 40 years, first for the University of Melbourne School of Botany and later for the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria's identification and information services. He has a longtime interest in botanical illustration and has served on the selection panel for many botanical art exhibitions.
Clarke's passion for his topic shines through as he generously and patiently explains botanical nomenclature, structures, and processes through text and illustration. He seems to have a genuine interest in increasing the reader's knowledge and understanding. The book is incredibly well thought-through, using a logical order to lead the reader through ever-increasingly specific topics. Clarke's clear, direct writing style is well-matched by his excellent drawings, which are both precise and
attractive.
[...]
My first assumption in picking up the book was that it was a field guide to Australian species. I was delighted to find that it is so much more than that. Its purpose is to aid in navigating the complicated topic of regional botanical atlases, information that is international in its scope, I highly recommend it to students, educators, agricultural/liorticultural professionals, naturalists, artists – anyone who is studying botany of any kind, most particularly, the tangled topic of grasses."
– Amelia Hansen, Journal of Natural Science Illustration, 48(2), 2016
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